Morning journal and courier., 1887-05-05
News by Telegraph FROM ALL QUARTERS. THE TORIES SET A TRAP Into Which ParneII Refuses
 To Walk. EXPLOSION IN A COAL MINE. Few Of The Miners Escape
 Alive. FREAKS OF AN EARTHQUAKE. Twelve Men Killed By A
 Blast.
FREAKS OF AN EARTHQUAKE.
THE EPARNELLITES ARE WARY

And Will Not by Entrapped by the ConservatIves-A Clever Scheme to UnraveI the Mysteries of the National League.
 LONDON, May 4-In the House of Com. mons today Sir Charles Russell contended that as Mr. Dillon's conduct in the House had been attacked that fact constituted 8 breach of privilege and it was the duty of the House and primarily incumbent on the gov ernment leader of the House (Mr Smith) to take action to protect the honor of it's mem bers. The course proposed by the govern ment's motion was an evasion of this duty. The question was not so much whether a committee should be appointed as whether the House intended to pass by the imputa- tion against Mir. Dillon and say before the was not of such character as constituted . breach of privilege. Lord Randolph Church i'll admitted that the case presented a prima facie breach of privilege, but he thought the House was not refusing judicial inquiry. The only difference was as to the form of inquiry to be adopted. He regarded 8 resort to the ordinary tribunals of the law one that would afford a far better remedy than could be ob- tained from action by the House. He depre- cated the attack made by Mr. O'Connor on the government leader in the House. No one outside Mir. O'Connor's own circle could be expected to sympathize with him in such an assault. It was utterly unjustifable. From the very language used MT. Smith could well afford to ignore the assault. (Cheers.) If the government leader in the House was charged with not taking primary action on behalf of the House for a breach of privilege committed against one of it's members he could retort that it was the leader of the opposition who ought to have been expected to protect his friends having taken the lead outside of the House in an agitation for the repeal of the Union. (Cheers)
 Mr. Gladstone-''I emphaticallv repudi- ate the assertion of his lordship."
 Lord Randolph responded-'It is true, however" He then proceeded to argue that it would be unwise for the House to go be- yond the action the government had pro- posed. The action of the House if the Times publisher should be brought before the par WOulO III no WlSe curD or cOnGrOl the great power yielded by the press of the country.
 MT. Storey (Radical and newspaper pro- prietor)-"You can try to suppress the press of Ireland" Parnellite cheers.)
 Lord Randolph Churchill-'How would a committee of inquiry be constituteda Would it be proposed that members of the league be put upon ita" (Cries of s'certainlyl'1 Eff so there would be nothing in the whole history of jury packing like it. (Cheers.) Besides the powers of committee would not be equal to those of court of law. The com mittee, indeed, would be hopelessly incom- potent to settle such questions of law as a court could. In court the prosecution would proceed at the cost of the country with the employment of any counsel the Irish mem- bers liked to name. In this way the truth would be arrived at and justice done the offenders"
 MT. Dillon said he did not consider the or dinary tribunals of England in the present state of feeling the Irish question fairly open to members of the Irish party in the House of Commons. He therefore main tained that he had right to be heard before a committee. For six years the Parnellites had been held up to public odium as crim- inals. Some of them in the meantime had been imprisoned. Enough had been done and said in these six years to prejudice the minds of any Englsh jury possible to em-
 
 in civil action against the Times because he believed he had no chance of obtaining g verdict. If, on the other hand, select com mittee of members of the House should be appointed to hear his case he would be con- tented that it should be so constituted as not to include single Irish member. (Cheers.)
 MT. Gladstone intimated that in the event of the adoption of Sir Edward Clarke's mo- tion he would move an amendment to the main question to the effect that an inquiry be made by committee into the charges of wilful falsehood in speech delivered in the House of Commons brought in an article by the Times against MT. Dillon. (Cheers) MT. W. H. Smith asked if MT. Gladstone would make that motion at once. MT. Gladstone said he was surprised at the suggestion, con- ing as it did from the government leader in the House. For him MT. Gladstone) to make such motion at the present time would be only making confusion and it would tend to obscure the issue if the course suggested by Mir. Smith was followed. On motion of MT. Bradlaugh the debate was adjourned.
 The debate in the House of Commons to- day disclosed government tactics leading to the following issues The government will first carry an amendment to the effect that the Times accusation is not breach of priv ilege and next they will reject Mir. Glad stone's proposals for committee inquiry. The Parnellites will thus be left to accept or reject the offer of a government prosecution of the Times with the attorney general assisting the Par nellite counsel. If they assent the Irish leaders would be subjected to an exam inatien in which would be exposed the whole secret history of the league since it's forma- tion. Being we'll aware of the trap set for them, the Parnellites will consent to nothing but the appointment of a committee. On the other hand, the Conservatives are op- posed to a committee being appointed be- cause it would have to be composed of nearly equal numbers of Gladstonians and Consery- atives. Witnesses are not examined under oath. When the line of inquiry is desmed dangerous either side has the power to protest and to challenge a divis- ion. A section of the ministerialists is inclined to favor a committee on the ground that, as the Parnellites will not pros- ecute, 8 committee of inquiry is better than nothing, as it will assist in sustaining the crime outcry Meantime MT. Smith is ma noeuvering to folee the Parnellites to pub lie treaty. Final divisions are expected on Friday. Urgent whips have been sent out by both sides and all the absentees are being drummed in. The Liberal Unionists will support the government.
 The Parnellites will hold conference to- morrow to consider tine Dillon-Times affair. MT. Gladstone spent large part of the evening searching for precedents for the appointment of select committee to consld-